Some people stop their own growth and health because of offense. Sometimes the Body exposes it and people even get offended at the exposure. Let us dive into 1 Corinthians 13 and understand what love is because, without love, we are always walking in offense. What is love? It’s patient. It’s kind. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no account of wrongs. It is not rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, and it keeps no record of wrongs. The religious rulers of His time were keeping a record on Jesus, too.
Some people keep saying, “I love you,” but that is just lip service. Stop saying you love me and prove to me that you do. Offense is a killer. Love does not behave rudely, it does not seek its own, and it is not easily provoked. Many get so easily provoked because of what people do to them. Stop expecting something from people, just keep loving them, unconditionally. Unconditional means you don’t have to do good to me for me to love you. I just need to keep loving you. Love thinks no evil. The bottom line is that love never offends, or you might say it never offends on purpose even though someone may take offense. Surely love never gets offended. We get offended at times, so that means that love has not been perfected in us. What is the problem? Expectation. People just keep expecting others to love them and to treat them right. Then this is the problem. Man keeps waiting to be rejected and let down and keeps waiting for a problem to appear. This expectation is a killer. We keep putting burdens on others when God has never put any burden on us. In this waiting, in this expectation, we start getting offended. We keep going to a place where love stops. If we are always waiting for somebody to let us down, we are putting ourselves in a prison. Jesus let Mary down in her own eyes. Mary wanted Jesus to do what Mary wanted. She was expecting something from Jesus. Our biggest problem is expectation. We keep expecting to be well treated, expecting this and that to happen to us.
Don’t try to buy love. People are trying to buy love with gifts, with time, and by treating people well. See, when buying something, you are always expecting something in return. When you just GIVE without expecting anything in return, it’s another sign of LOVE. Love does not put false burdens on others. A lot of times we say, “I love you brother,” but inside of us there are many things from the past. In the church system and in the world, we have a wrong definition and mindset of the word that Jesus said and preached! We will never be perfect, but if we have the right revelation, meaning, and understanding of the word love, we will be able to love rightly. People who are always offended always break the first 2 commandments! God is speaking to those who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. Everyone had ears but they could not really hear. Not everybody will see what you see. Just because somebody is saying something does not mean that you are really hearing. When you have ears to hear, your eyes will start to see. Many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, to hear what you hear (Luke 10:24). When you are baptized into Jesus, you will hear and see what the Spirit is saying and doing. Many are deceived. They carry a form of God but deny God’s power. Some of us act just like that “certain lawyer” in Luke 10:21-37. You are living by the law, you are protecting the law, you are observing the law, but YOUR LAW, not the law of God.
Many that justify themselves prefer to be under the law. These always try to defend themselves. Those who are easily offended always try to justify themselves. They are LAW YER. They follow their own law. But Jesus wants you to see things the way He sees. So, Jesus, trying to show this young man a different way of seeing, told him the parable of the good Samaritan. “What has this man done who is beat up on the side of the street?”, a lawyer would think that way. They always try to justify wrongdoings. We knew that the Samaritans were seen as being from a lower class. If LAW-YERS were observing and keeping His law, they would have never broken the law of love concerning your neighbor. All the laws hang on these two: love your God and your neighbor! “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:38-40). You know that when you break the first two commandments, “love God and love your neighbor,” you are breaking all the law and if you break it, you put yourself under the law.
When you show mercy towards anybody that hurts you, you are walking in love! When we get offended, we show no mercy! When we show no mercy, we don’t walk in love, we break the law of God, and we know not God (1 John 4:8). Do you want to look like Jesus? You better get hold of the revelation of love. God decided and defined what love is. God said, “Love is the cross.” Love is not a smile. You cannot love a man if you never understood love. Love is not just lip service. God did not just give us a chapter in the Bible – 1 Corinthians 13 - to explain what love is. He gave us a man, Christ Jesus. Love does not behave rudely, love does not seek its own, love is not provoked, love thinks no evil… If you break the two commandments, you are in the flesh and under the law! Many get into negative agreement about keeping record. It is very easy for couples to get into agreement about offense.
Many come into offensive agreement, pulling others into the offense hole with them, like spouses or friends! LAWYER – LAW – YER! Your law! What do lawyers do? They fight for you, using the law to prove what is right and who is right! One lawyer is trying to prove that you broke the law, and the other is trying to prove that you did not. The same system was used during the time of Jesus. But now, under the blood, Jesus does this task for us. So many trials we go through. Every lawyer tries to prove who is wrong. Accused or innocent? They seek retribution, restitution, retaliation, revenge, justice, judgment, and payback. Now try – as a lawyer – to love or to pick up your cross, try to walk in love when you are a lawyer. It is impossible. We want to live under the law when it is convenient for us, but we want to live in love when it is convenient for us. It is half a cross! There is no way to make it to the end if we don’t live an offense-less lifestyle! Some are hanging on the cross but get off the cross when they see something or until someone does something to them, then they drop their cross! You end up choosing to pick up the cross when it looks good for yourself! You cannot pick up your cross and offense at the same time! For some, it’s easier to preach the cross than to pick it up! Paul said, “I die daily. I pick up my cross daily!” (1 Corinthians 15:31). We want to pick it up when we want to. If you always are fighting for yourself, you are selfish! A selfish person is always fighting for your life, your feelings, your plans, your rights, your ways, and your agenda. Lawyers fight for themselves. They are so selfish. If you are a lawyer, you fight for your own rights, your feelings, your trespasses, your plans, your expectations, your ways, and your agenda.
Forgiving is not a thing we do when we have been assaulted, attacked, betrayed, misused, abused, or whatever comes our way! It is a lifestyle. When our heart is dirty, we are drifting away from God. But we are made and born to live in His presence. If we are offended at one another, we are offended with God because we are one. If you struggle to forgive, you are not a forgiving person. If you have to forgive, you have already taken offense. Jesus released forgiveness even before the foundation of the world. Jesus released forgiveness according to the past, present, and future transgression. We have been taught wrong; that is why we live wrong. But today we are being taught right, and we will live right! He has come to open our ears and eyes so we can see. He was not talking about seeing what the world sees. Many go to Bible schools and learn wrong interpretations of love. But God’s words set us free. If you think you have the right for something to happen to you, you are on the wrong path. His ways are higher than yours. Why do we need to keep telling people to forgive all the time? This is not the Gospel. Offense should never find a place in the Body. But some are still waiting for that person to say, “I am sorry. Forgive me.” You are still under the law. But He says, “Put on Christ. Make no provision for the flesh.” You already put judgment on someone; but in the kingdom, that person is already released! Before you even were born, you were already forgiven. Don’t live in a glass house, shattered by any little thing. Live in a rubber house. When things come at you, it will just bounce off you! You, filled with pride, said you have forgiven them, but you still hold record of wrongdoing. You are just being religious and acting like a good Christian. The Lord’s prayer is not just a prayer method (Matthew 6:9-13). It points out the way we should live our lives. If you have to forgive, that means you have already taken up an offense against someone who offended you!
But if you are always forgiving, as a lifestyle, you are a forgiving person! Which one are you? The one that is always forgiving or a forgiving person? Jesus never had to forgive anybody because he never took any offense. The only time he said “forgive them” was because all the sin of the Earth was upon Him. It was not because he was forgiving what the world did to Him because he never took any offense of any wrongdoing! He said, “Father, forgive them,” meaning “I am taking it for them.” He was already slain before man was even created. Jesus was a living example of how He wants us to live. A place of joy, peace, and righteousness! Before it was an eye for an eye. Now it is love your neighbor. Now it is the turn the other cheek. Religious people will tell us to show the fruits of the Spirit and keep all the anger inside, but God sees another way: Don’t let that touch your soul, don’t let offense in, and walk away from offense and unforgiveness. A person that knows God, knows love and is love. Love does not need to forgive because it never takes offense, it never takes record of wrong! Love is forgiveness! It is not something you do; it is something that is! You already released the person even before that person has even hurt you!
Both men on the cross were hung because of their crimes (Luke 23:33-46) but Jesus was hung because of false judgment. One of them said, “Get yourself off the cross if you are Christ.” He was acting as a lawyer. The other said, “Do you not fear God?” He was defending love. He said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you enter into paradise.” Jesus did not ask him to say, “I am a criminal, forgive me”; that “remember me” was enough. TODAY you shall be with me in paradise. Both criminals were condemned and only one went to paradise. One got eyes to see. That man let everything go: “Jesus, be my advocate. Jesus, be my lawyer. Jesus, I tried to defend me, look where I am at. Just remember me.” And the other guy still tried to prove something, naked and clothed with self-righteousness. Which one do you want to be? The lawyer – the defender of self? Or the lover – the defender of love?
Now, look at the cross and receive a revelation of what I am saying. If Jesus had to be forced to forgive that would mean He was in an offense! “Father…forgive them!” They were sinning not against Jesus but against the Father Himself! Some say, “I want to be like Jesus,” so learn and decide not to be offended! Most of us are in the law school run by satan. Now, look at what Jesus said: “Father, forgive them…” Before Jesus was crucified, God had already forgiven us. The blood came to wash our transgression away! He was not just speaking about those sins that were happening to us at that moment but past, present, and future sins! I don’t have to say a thousand times to people, “I love you.” My lifestyle proves it. My relationship with them proves it!
Jesus did not say, “I FORGIVE THEM.” He said, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM.” Because even through His suffering, Jesus did not carry even one ounce of offense. Before the foundation of the world, He had forgiven you and me! Jesus proved His love towards me even before the foundation of the Earth. He – the Lamb of God - was slain even before that (Revelation 13:6-9). The lamb was slain not after my transgression, but on day one, BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH! This is so deep, but you will need eyes to see and ears to hear! God forgave all of my sins even before I committed them! That is how He wants us to live our lives! Verse 9 says, “IF ANYONE HAS AN EAR, LET HIM EAR.” Are you hearing what the Spirit is saying?
Remember, when we yet were sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:1-13). Jesus was slain before time existed! Then time came! In due time, Christ died for the ungodly! The atonement was released before the foundation of the world. Everything that was spoken was done before it was manifested. Transgression is not registered when there is love. Has the love of God been shed abroad in your heart? Have you died for the ungodly just as He did for you? Jesus did not come for the lawyers, for the self-righteous ones. He came for the humble! Transgression is not registered when there is no law or lawyers around (verse 13). God was forgiving us even before we ever were born. All we have to do is to receive it, believe it, and repent from our sins! But the power to do it was already there! Time stops, but eternity keeps manifesting! Be a FORE-giver - the kind that gives forgiveness even before transgression happens! That’s how we actually walk in forgiveness! So, if you are always having to forgive people, you’re not like Christ. You are like an offense bomb! Keep releasing people constantly, or God will not release you! That’s why so many are so screwed up. They are always waiting until they FEEL like forgiving. If you wait for your feeling, you are making provision for your flesh. You are the one deciding when to forgive and release someone. Jesus did not die because He was feeling like dying. You are not giving if you are taking. You are not giving love if you are taking offense. If you are not releasing your past, how can you release your future?
FOR – GIVER. In an English context, the word FOR means FORE - before time. For example, FORE RUNNER: God releases a word before time to His messengers. Some of us have been collecting memories and registering wrongdoing for many years, and they wait to release it when they feel like it. Fore: the front part of something, prior to the order of occurrence, accruing earlier or beforehand. That means we are supposed to do it FORE, before anything happens, and now take a look at the word GIVE: To release, let go, surrender, defer, yield, succumb. DEFER! Sent it back to hell! But still, you want to be under the law. You still want to hold records of wrongs. Just like Cain, he was like a lawyer! Let God burn off your fig leaves, your own chaff. In this passage in Luke 7:27-50, Jesus had not gone to the cross, and he said to that woman: “Your sins have been forgiven!” but Pharisees and lawyers (verse 30) rejected the counsel of God, rejected the mercy of God and grace of God, and rejected the forgiveness of God towards her! The Pharisees and lawyers kept looking at that woman as a sinner, but Jesus saw as she “was” a sinner. They were holders of records of wrongdoing! Jesus expunged our record of wrongdoing. We should do the same for one another! Every time you keep offense, you act like a lawyer! But you are called to FORE-GIVE – to release OFFENSE before OFFENSE COMES IN. If you can’t stop getting offended, someone else is living in you, but it is not Christ. I don’t think we really understand the power of the Gospel. We have been forgiven much; we must show much love (Luke 7:47).
He was slain before the foundation of the world, so God has a right! There is no love without the cross and there is no forgiveness either! It’s love or it’s law. Or you are a lawyer or a saint? God is looking for this posture of forgiveness. All mixture is man’s power, man’s ways, and man’s law! So, if you live in a posture of forgiveness, a lifestyle of it, then Jesus becomes your lawyer, your attorney, your advocate, and your defender! If you are always needing to forgive, then you are always your own lawyer, and you live under your own law! No record means no record! Burn them all! Love takes no record of wrongdoing.
I had a long record of wrongdoing before Christ. I call it Shane BC. But when I was born again, my record was expunged. But under Jesus, under the blood, he burned my record. We must burn any record of wrongdoings. We must FORE- GIVE before we go to bed. Someone will do something bad to you tomorrow, today you already have forgiven them! When God forgave me, I have forgiven everyone for now and forever! The kingdom of God gives and is given Grace! You can’t walk in the law and say that you are walking in the kingdom! Some of you have been playing a broken record of wrongdoings all of your life! It is time to get off the turn table and break the curse! We owe no man anything but to love (Romans 13:7-14)! “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing…” I am sorry! Nobody owes you anything! If you think that someone owes you something, if you are already expecting someone to ask you, “Forgive me,” you are breaking the law of love. The word says OWE NO MAN ANYTHING. Nobody owes you anything!
“…but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” All you need to do is to love! If I abide in Him and Him in me, I will bear much fruits, including the fruit of love! Don’t make excuses! Embrace the cross! Don’t make excuses! Receive the washing of the water of the Word. “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Romans 13:9-12.
FORE GIVEN forgiveness and you will receive it. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness.” (verse 12). Cast off offense, you lawyer! I don’t care who you think you are, you are a lawyer if you don’t. “And let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (put on love), and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts… (the lust of being a judge, a lawyer) thereof.” (verse 13) You will receive good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.
Remember, you were forgiven before the foundation of the world. No need to be begging for forgiveness. Just do unto others what Jesus has done to you. I have reaped a lot of forgiveness, so I must sow a lot of forgiveness! I don’t owe anybody forgiveness because I have already given it to them. Do you want to be a lawyer or a lover? Stop observing the law but fulfill it by loving! No record will be kept! Now is our salvation near! Cast off the works of darkness! Let us not walk by recording wrongdoing. Don’t be a lawyer! Be a lover! Two men on the cross…one was a lawyer, and one was a lover…Jesus turned to the lover and said, “Today, you, lover, will be with me in paradise…” (Luke 23:43).
“Father, I put on the full armor of God. I am saved because of love. I FORE-GIVE before because of love. I protect myself from any lie about myself and about love. I am hiding in love and because of that, I walk in love. Because He did it before the foundation of the Earth, I also do. He was slain before the foundation of the Earth, and I am crucified as well. Thank you, Father, that with your outrageous grace, we receive and give forgiveness, not after the fact, but before it even happens. This is the key to victory. This is the way! This is the Truth. We activate Your word. This is who I am: A saint. A holy one. A blessed one. A peacemaker. I am no longer a lawyer. I am a son of God.”
Shane Roessiger
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